The ancient and sophisticated process of becoming a saint

By
Gina Joseph, The Daily Tribune

Sunday, November 19, 2017

The Beatification Mass of Father Solanus Casey was only a few hours long but it was months in the making, going back as far back as this past summer when the friar’s remains were exhumed and relics were collected as part of the canonical process.

A relic is something connected with a saint or blessed such as a part of their body (piece of hair or bone), their clothing or an object that the person used or touched.

It was the day after the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Casey’s death on July 31, on Aug. 1, when a select number of people gathered for the solemn exhumation service attended by members of the Capuchin Franciscan Order of St. Joseph in Detroit and three medical professionals who were on hand to examine the remains and report on the condition of the body.

“Presiding at the process for opening the tomb of Father Solanus and confirming the identity of his early remains was a time of significant prayer for me,” Archbishop Vigneron said afterwards, in an article for The Michigan Catholic.

This was the second time Casey’s body has been exhumed – the first time being in 1987 when his remains were moved from the friar’s cemetery to St. Bonaventure Monastery chapel.

Thirty-years ago, it was done to recognize the body and to evaluate its condition but no relics were taken at that time said Vigneron, because Casey had not been made venerable.

Once Pope Francis announced the beatification of the Capuchin friar, another exhumation took place for the purpose of collecting relics which will be used in the church. According to the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Center, “the veneration of relics is an ancient custom dating from the reverence shown at the graves of martyrs event in the time of the apostles.”

The relics, which are expected to be on display at the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit, and perhaps other places, are categorized as: first class relics – a part of the person’s body; second class – an article touched by the person or directly to part of his or her body; and third class – something touched indirectly to the person.

During the process solemnly observed by church officials, each relic removed was then secured inside a vial that will be sent to Rome to be catalogued, authenticated and prepared for distribution by the church.

When it was all over the body was reinterred in a new Capuchin habit and casket, which was then officially sealed by Archbishop Vigneron along with an authentication document signed by those present, before the closing prayer.

Father Larry Webber, a Capuchin and one of the vice-postulators for the canonization of Father Solanus called the opportunity to see and venerate the remains of his saintly brother Capuchin a very powerful and spiritual experience.

“Many mixed feelings filled the hearts of our Capuchin community,” he said, following the event. “We are well aware that Father Solanus is now part of something greater than just our Capuchin community. He belongs to the whole church, and we pray that his eventual canonization might make him another model of holiness in following Jesus Christ in the universal church.”